Introduction to Chinese History: Shang through Han - Thicket
Thicket
Introduction to Chinese History: Shang through Han

Introduction to Chinese History: Shang through Han

In this course, we will examine China's pre-imperial history and earliest empires, as we consider a series of big questions: How did early Chinese empires build and maintain among the most sophisticated administrations in their day ? How much power did emperors really have? What notions of justice, equity, and law operated in China's early administrations? How did thinkers understand what good governance entailed? Finally, we will ask, to what extent did these early dynasties shape China's later political and cultural identities? No prior knowledge of Chinese history is required.
TBD

Your Instructor

Nicholas Constantino
Nicholas Constantino

PhD in History
University of California, Berkeley

Nicholas Constantino holds a PhD in History from UC Berkeley, where he taught classes in Chinese and Japanese history, as well as intensive writing seminars. He previously served as the Director of Research and Programs at the Elling Eide Center and has published works on early Chinese philosophy, ritual, and classical learning.

Chinese PhilosophyAncient HistoryComparative EthicsLegal Thought
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$144

What you'll learn

Early Chinese political thought

Ancient legal history

Comparative empires

Approaches to early history

Economics, administration, and education in pre-industrial society

Introduction to recent archeological discoveries

Course Schedule

In our first session, we will set the stage by introducing the sort of sources and methods through which historians approach the study of the ancient world. How do we gauge the veracity and political purview of historical records? How much can we learn from archeological sites? How do we recognize when our modern biases are obscuring historical realities? In asking these questions, we will consider the important ways in which pre-industrial societies differ from modern nation-states, and how this should guide our interpretations of early sources.

What You Get

Live interactive sessions

Engage in real-time discussions with expert instructors

Small discussion groups

Maximum 15 students for personalized attention

Session recordings

Review and revisit class content anytime

Dedicated platform

Track progress and organize your schedule